By Darius KADIVAR

John Trikeriotis historian / webmaster of 300spartanwarrions.com & theleonidasexpeditions.com (*)

 

©photocomposition DK
 

John Trikeriotis. The 47-year-old financial consultant who lives north of Baltimore with his wife and two kids knows a thing or two about the movie's story--the 480 B.C. Battle of Thermopylae, where 300 Spartans held off a vastly larger Persian army long enough for other Greeks to escape to fight again. Trikeriotis runs the web site 300spartanwarriors.com and theleonidasexpeditions.com, devoted to all things Thermopylae, and can also sell you, for instance, an "adult-size Corinthian helmet with a genuine horsehair crest which can be used for display or reenactment purposes." Born in Australia, the son of a Greek tailor, Trikeriotis became interested in the battle at an early age, when he saw the 1962 movie The 300 Spartans with his father in the late '60s. Since, he has amassed an extensive collection of books, replicas, and facts from the battle. We have never met but have been corresponding ever since he contacted me for asking if he could link to my a film review I wrote on Rudolph Maté's cult film also known as the Lion of Sparta.

I discovered not only an interesting and kind personality but also a man genuinely interested in learning more about Persian/Iranian history and culture. It actually turned out that he has been updating me on Iranian archeological findings or on projects by Iranian Diaspora Artists in relation to ancient Persia such as the CGI 3D Persepolis an Iranian and German initiative to recreate a virtual Persepolis in all its Splendor or the 300 Project (**) by a fellow Iranian compatriot who aims at offering a more balanced depiction of Persian culture than what was suggested in the much debated recent Hollywood film 300. Quite interestingly I was even surprised by sharing common ground with John on the latter film based on Frank Miller's comic book. We were both frustrated not to have seen a more accurate epic film on one of the major battles in human history but also sad to see that the debate surrounding the film only deepened the gap between Western and Persian Civilizations at large at least on a short term in the popular public mindset.
 

John Trikeriotis: A Spartan Fan of Persia © John Trikeriotis

Paradoxically however the Box Office Success of 300 has probably been a blessing in disguise for it has triggered many younger generation filmmakers in the Iranian Diaspora but also amongst non Iranians to initiate film projects that would highlight Persian History but particularly our cultural heritage in a more favorable light. John also shared his concerns about the way the Spartans were depicted physically ( like Chippendales ), culturally but also socially which overshadowed much of what archeologists and historians have painstakingly discovered during archeological expeditions or patiently gathered for public display today in museums worldwide.

 

Time for Common Grounds ? Let's hope so: Different yet Complimentary Projects on Ancient Persia and Ancient Sparta/Greece should enhance our knowledge on the founding ancient civilizations of humanity. (Logo of Project 300 ©300themovie.info)( Logo of Leonidas Expeditions © John Trikeriotis) (Spartan Officer © Nikos Panos & George Heliopoulos) ( Persian Immortal © Iman Maleki )

What has been interesting in our correspondences over a year has been that it allowed both of us to have better appreciation on the two of the founding ancient civilizations of Mankind: Persian and Greece ( including Sparta). Also the necessity of sharing our mutual knowledge and information on them. John has as a matter of fact been developing the idea of including more and more sub-sections on his website dedicated to Ancient Persians and even hopes to include information on the Persian/Iranian Diaspora at large specifically on our cultural achievements in order to inform his readers and visitors of his website.

He welcomes any feedback from anyone genuinely interested and competent in bridging the archeological, historical and cultural gaps between our two civilizations in a constructive way. Feel free to email him at 300spartanwarriors@gmail.com

VIVE LES SPARTES !

ET
 VIVE LES PERSES !

Authors Notes

(*) Learn More about John on his websites :
 

http://www.300spartanwarriors.com/

http://www.theleonidasexpeditions.com/

(**) The 300 Project is an ongoing collaborative art project featuring art by artists using the theme of 'ancient Persia'. Driven by an admiration for arts, and united by a common concern about the barbaric and demonic portrayal of Persians in Frank Miller's graphic novel and the movie 300, we have come together to show the human side of the Persian Empire through our art. See Website: http://300themovie.info/

Recommended Readings:

Battle for The West by Darius KADIVAR
Persian History inspires French Comic Book Masters by Darius KADIVAR

Rostam Super Hero: Popularizing A Persian Myth... by Darius KADIVAR 

Rostam Strikes Back! by Darius KADIVAR
 

Film Projects Related to Ancient Persia:

The Persian Empire Strikes Back by Darius KADIVAR 

XERXES: A Screenplay by Ren A. Hakim on the Persian King of Kings by Darius KADIVAR

HE IS AWAKE: Close Up on filmmaker Cyrus KAR by Darius KADIVAR

An Immortal Stuntman by Darius KADIVAR

HOLLYWOOD DREAM MERCHANTS: Persian Props of Oliver Stone's Epic for Sale by Darius KADIVAR
 

About the Author: Darius KADIVAR is a Freelance Journalist, Film Historian, and Media Consultant. He is also contributes to OCPC Magazine in LA/US and to the London Based IC Publications The Middle East Magazine and Persian Heritage Magazine.

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